Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-05-19

berries. The large, coarse growing va
rieties of the Chilli species, or the hy-
birds between these and the Virginia
strawberry, succeed best when grown
in hills or single rows. and they are
usually quite unproductiye. if the plants
are permitted to run together and be-
come crowded; while others will yield
well either i'll narrow rows or wide
beds, and where the plants become
matted.
In the "hill system" the plants are
usually set out III rows about three
feet apart, and the plants eighteen in
ches to two feet apart in the row. The
ground is kept thoroughly cultivated
among the plants during the entire sea-
son, ana all runners removed as soon
as they appear, or at least once a week.
This treatment will insure very large
and strong plants, with numerous
crowns or buds, from which fruit-stalks
will push up the following spring.
When grown in single rows, the
plants may set about twelve inches
apart in the rows, and for garden cul-
ture the rows should be about three
feet apart, but for field culture | prefer
to allow a little more space between the
rows, or four feet but the distance may
be varied according to the habit OF the
plants.
In the bed or matted system. two or
three rows are planted in beds four
feet wide. and the plants allowed to
cover the entire surface until they form
a close mat or bed: hence the name
one or two crops are taken, and then
the plants are plOwed up us usual when
| nnI tlUnfan In, D,.f hxtt 4
occasionally, the beds may be kept in q
moderately productive condition for
| several years especially with some OF
the more slender growing of our native
varieties. Some cultivatOrs. who raise
strawberries for. market, adopt what
may be called an annual system, set
ting out plants in spring either single
rows or narrow beds, giving them extra
care during the first season; then, after
the fruit is gathered up the next, the
beds are plowed up.
| How to save the Peach Blossoms.
On visit to the Catskill Mountain.
the past season / stopped at farm
house, the owner of which, like many
other farmers in that vicinity. owns ;
saw-mill, and pays considerable atten
ton to fruit. On one occasion, ht
found that lot of saw-dust had som,
time during the winter been accidental
ly thrown around the roots of one of hi
peach trees. to the depth of a foot. Al
spring came, he was astOnished to flint
that, while all the rest of his peach or
chard was starting into bloom, the tire,
around which the sawdust had beer
thrown showed no sign of starting
Fearing something was the matter, h,
began to dig around the roots and al
though it was the first week in May II,
found the soil frozen solid. The cover
ing of sawdust had been put OH whel
the ground was frozen and being an ex
cellent non-conductor had kept it from
thawing thus retarling the growth tel
or twelve days, so that by the time tin
peach tree, thus belated. commenced
blooming all danger of late spring frost
so fatal to the peach crop, had passed
This was some fifteen years ago, bu
the owner, acting OH the suggestion
thus fortunately given has ever sine
covered his peach trees for six or eigh
feet around the roots with about foo
of sawdust. being careful, however. t,
do the covering in February or March
when the ground was deeply frozen
lie claims that by this method. h,
never failed to secure crop of peaches
by thus delaying the development o
the buds until the danger of sprin.
frost was past.
This plan is well worth adopting il
all sections where peaches and othe
fruits are injured by late frosts. Though
sawdust is perhaps the best material t
cover with, yet, if not obtainable
leaves, or litter, or any non-conductine
material may be used to keep the sol
from thawing thus retarding vegeta
ton. One very important point mus
not be lost sight of. which is. that tn,
covering must be done when the fros
is deep in the soil, and as latein winte
as the ground is likely to be frozeI
deep. IL covered when the ground il
slightly frozen early in winter. the oh
ject would be defeated, as the late co
vering which is put on to keep tn,
frost i'll the ground if put OH early il
the winter would prevent the frost from
entering deep enough to retard the
growth. have just been informed
that, to attain the same end, the farm
ers of Sullivan County. y. Y, have long
been in the habit of carting snow
around the roots of their peach trees
on the sides Of tba hills fapinO north 49,